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PATENTED JAN. 26, 1904.

C. B. MAXSON. PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED A217. 1903.

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No. 750,295. PATENTED JAN. 26,1904.

0. B. MAXSON.

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 7, 1903. N0 MODEL.

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No. 750,295. PATENTED JAN. 2 1904.

- 0. B. MAXSON,

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7. 1903.

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)TNESS-s" INVENTOR: m zzwzwzfvzfaw m, E u BY 5 ATTORNEY? T, UNITEDSTATES Patented January 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. MAXSON, OF VVESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE MAXSONPRINTING PRESS COMPANY, OF WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND, A GORRORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

PAPER-FEEDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 750,295, dated January26, 1904.

Application filed April 7, 1903.

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. MAXSON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Westerly, in the county of Washington and State ofRhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPaper-Feeding Machines, of which the following 'is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of machines which are employed toselect successive sheets of paper or other material from a pile or massand feed them forward sheet by sheet 'to a ruling or other appropriatemachine for subsequent treatment therein.

In vLetters Patent of the United States No. 690,167, dated December 81,1901, I have shown and described a machine of this class in which theselection and forward translation of the successive sheets are effectedby imparting to the pile or mass from which the sheets are supplied asuccession of progressively-traveling wave-like pressures from its rearto its front or place of discharge through the intervention of a seriesof bars, which, ex tending across the pile or mass from one edge thereofto the other, are successively and progressively moved toward and awayfrom the pile or mass from one end of theseries to the other byappropriate cam mechanism. In one form of the mechanism thus shown anddescribed in the Letters Patent aforesaid the movements of these barstoward and away from the pile or mass from which the successive sheetsare'to be selected and moved forward toward the'discharging end of themachine are in planes perpendicular to the surface thereof, while inanother form of the mechanism shown and described therein the movementsof these bars toward and away from the pile or mass are in planes thatare more or less inclined in the direction toward which the successivesheets after having been selected are moved or fed. These two forms ofmechanism, while efficient to an eminent degree when employed inconnection with most kinds of material, are found more or less defectivewhen employed in connection with sheets of material that are extremelythin and possessed of little or no stiffness, principally Serial No.151,474. (No model.)

because of the fact that the pile or mass in being repeatedly acted uponby the approaching and receding bars is frequently carried forwardagainst the vertical restraining-wall at the front edge thereof withsuch pressure that when moved vertically in contact therewith by theaction of these bars the front edges of the sheets that are in closeproximity to those which are being discharged are bent upward ordownward against its inner face, and instead of being moved outwardacross this wall when selected and fed forward these sheets are foldedup against its inner face, thereby frequently clogging the machine, andthis is particularly the case when the planes of: movement of thediflerent bars toward and away from the pile or mass being operated uponare inclined in the direction toward which the successive sheets'are tobe fed.

The object of my invention is therefore to obviate this defect andproduce a machine in which the selection and feeding forward ofsuecessive sheets of paper or other material from a pile or mass may beefficiently effected, and this, too, whether the sheets are thick orthin or stiff or sleazy.

Tothese ends the invention consists, first, in the peculiar arrangementand operation of the bars whereby not only are the successive sheets ofpaper or other material selected one I after another from a pile or massand fed forward and delivered in that order, but the pile or mass fromwhich they are selected restrained from moving forward with them aswell; second, in a series of bars divided into a plurality of groups andin mechanism for raising these bars one after another progressively fromone end of the series to the other and inclining the movements of thebars of one group forward to one angle with respect to the horizon andthe movements of bars of the other group 9 backward to another anglewith respect thereto, and, third, in various other featuresofconstruction and arrangement, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a paper-feeding machineconstructed in accordance with my invention, showing also in likeelevation a portion of a paper-ruling machine of ordinary or otherconstructiony'Fig. 2, aplan view of the same with certain parts of thefeeding-machine broken away for purposes of illustration; Fig. 3, atransverse section of one of the feed-bar-operating cam-shafts, with aseries of oneof the formsof cams that may be employed for operating thefeed-bars shown in side elevation; Fig. 4, a similar transverse sectionof one of the feed-bar-operating shafts, with a series of cams of aslightly-modified form also shown in side elevation, Fig. 5, a detailfront elevation of a portion of one of the feeding-bars and itsoperating-cams detached showing one form of shoe against which the cammay operate applied in connection therewith, parts being broken away;and Fig. 6, a similar front elevation of these parts detached, butshowing a shoe of a slightly-modified construction, parts beinglikewise'broken away.

In all the figures like letters of reference are employed to designatecorresponding parts.

A'indi'cates the main frame or housing of the machine, which is or maybe constructed of any approved form, and B indicates the main drivingshaft, which is rotatively mounted thereon through the intervention ofsuitable hangers a and is provided at one of its ends with appropriatefast and loose pulleys b and 7/, through the former of which and asuitable belt 6 power may be communicated to the machine from anyconvenient source.

C and C indicate the bars upon which the paper or other material issupported and the individual sheets thereof successively selected andfedforward for delivery to the ruling or other machine. These bars insteadof being arranged in a continuous and unbroken series throughout aredivided into groups, of which the rearmost portion C constitute onegroup and the foremost portion C the other. As thus disposed, the barsof each group are arranged side by side in close relationship to oneanother, and in the form selected for purposes of illustration they arepreferably constructed of a length to extend across the in terior of therear end portion of the frame or housing A from the inner face of one ofits side walls to the inner face of the other, with their upperedgeswhich contact with the paper or other material rounded and theopposite ends of each provided with grooves c, that are adapted to slideupwardly and downwardly upon correspondinglyshaped guides 0, extendinginwardly from the inner faces of the-respective side walls of the frameor housing adjacent to them. The groups of barsbeing thus constructedand arranged receive the paper or other material, which is depositedupon them in bulk from time to time, as may be required, and as thussupplied the selection of the successive sheets thereof and the feedingof them forward for delivery to the ruling or other machine are effectedby simply imparting up-and-down movements to such bars in progressivesequence from the rear to the front bar thereof, the effect of which isto communicate to the under surface of the paper or other materialresting upon them a succession of Wave-like rising-andlowering movementswhich travel progressively from the rear to the front edge thereof. Asthus acted upon by the bars C and C the successive sheets of paper orother material from the under surface of the mass or pile will beseparated from those above and moved forward one after anothertoward thefront or delivery end of the machine, each up-and-down movement of theextreme rear bar of the group C separating a new sheet from those aboveand initiating its forward travel, while the up-and-down movements ofthe remaining bars in progressive sequence from the rear to the frontmove forward one after another toward the front or delivery end of themachine the successive sheets that have been separated from those aboveand started forward on their travel by the rear bar of the group C, asabove explained. The successive sheets thus fed forward by-the bars Cand C follow one another with only a short distance between theirrespective forward ends, and in order to prevent the pile or mass frommoving forward with them as they are thus fed forward theup-and-downmovements vfed, while those of the bars of the group C areinclined slightly backward in an opposite direction. By this arrangementwhatever tendency is imparted to' the pile or mass to move forward withthe successlve sheets as they are'selected out and moved forward by thebars of the group C is neutralized and the pile or mass forced backwardby the bars of the group C, which in practice are more numerous thanthose of the group C, and which in thus acting upon the pile or mass toforce it backward allow and aid in the feeding forward of the sheetsthat are selected by the bars of the group C' and started forward ontheir travel by them.

'- To provide for imparting a forward inclination to the movements ofthe bars of the group C and a backward inclination to the movements ofthe bars of the group C, the I tive bars demand, while in order to limitthe backward movement of the pile or mass by the action of the bars ofthe group C and serve asa stop therefor the upwardly-extending verticalwall or abutment (Z is employed.

This wall or abutment is preferably located in rear of the group of barsC, and in that position it is supported upon the frame or housing Athrough the intervention of brackets d, clips (Z2, and a rod d Of thesethe brackets OZ are secured to the frame or housing A by suitable screws6?, while the clips 03 are in like manner secured to the wall orabutment (Z by appropriate screws d, and as thus secured in place theyare connected by the rod (P, which extends through sleeves (1 and (Zwith which thebrackets and clips are respectively provided, and hasthese sleeves rigidly clamped to it by clamping-screws d VYhile thebackward movement of the pile or mass upon the bars is thus prevented bythe wallor abutment (Z, the forward travel of the successive sheetsselected therefrom in the opposite direction is unimpeded, and in orderto support them in their onward travel after once initiated I make useof the table I), which extends horizontally across the top of the frameor housing A and is supported thereon by stands f, which, secured to theunder side of the former, rest at their lower ends upon the latter, asshown.

For imparting the required upward-anddownward movement to--the groups ofbars C and C various means may be employed. In the form of the inventionillustrated in the drawings, however, the up ward movement is impartedto these bars by cams E and F and their downward movement by gravity.When this arrangement is adopted, these cams may be constructed ineccentric form, as shown in Fig. 3. I prefer, however, to construct themin eccentric form with the portion of the periphery of each that islocated at the greatest distance from its axis of rotation flattenedinto a curve that is drawn from that axis, as shown" in Fig. 4, wherebyas its respective bar is raised to its highest limitit will be held inthat position and not start on its descent until the next succeeding barhas been brought to the same limit of its movement, and so on throughoutthe bars of the different groups that may be employed, each bar beingheld at the highest limit of movement until the next succeeding bar isbrought to the same elevation before beginning its descent. With eitherof these constructions employed the cams are respectively secured toshafts H and I, which, being disposed beneath such bars near therespective opposite ends thereof, are mounted in suitable bearingsformed in or secured to the front and rear ends of the frame or housingA and are severally connected with the drivingshaft B through theintervention of appropriate bevel-gears g andfg, whereby to be r0 tatedin unison. As thus disposed the bars C and C severally rest upon theirrespective cams, which in each series are equal in number to that of thebars, and in order that the required upwardand-downward movements may beimparted to them in a progressive seextending around its appropriateshaft from one end of the series to the other, as well as intocorresponding relationship with respect to those of the cooperatingfellow cams of the other.

With the cams constructed and arranged as above described the raisingand lowering of the series of bars are effected in the required order bysimply rotating the shafts H and I through the main shaft B, when thesuccessive bars are carried upward by the ac tion of their respectivecams and downward by the action of gravity.

In some instances the cams E and F may act upon the bars of thedifferent groups through the intervention of shoes h, fixedly securedtothe under edges of these bars, near the ends thereof, as shown in Fig.5, while in others they may act upon them through the intermediary ofshoes It, which, pivoted at their upper ends in. suitable seats formedin the under edges of the bars near their opposite ends, are themselvesprovided in their lower ends with curved recessed seats 71 which embraceand rest upon their respective cams, as shown in Fig. 6, and either ofthese forms of shoes may be adopted as may be preferred and the machineoperate with equal efliciency.

The meansby which the successive sheets of paper or other material arefed forward by the bars (I and (1" over the table I) and are deliveredto the ruling or other machine preferably consists of the rolls K and L,which are disposed near the front end of such table, with the under rollK journaled at its ends in suitable bearings 1f, formed on or secured,to the inner faces of the side walls of the frame or housing A, and theroll L resting thereon and journaled at its ends in similar bearings l,formed in the stands 1, that are secured to the upper edge of such frameor housing, as shown. As thus disposed the bite of these rolls isbrought substantially into line with the uppersurface 'of the table D,whereby as the successiveisheets are fed forward over the latter theywill be forced into the former and be carried through between the rollswhen these rolls are/ rotated. For imparting the required rotation tothese rolls various expedients may be adopted. Of these the one I havefound the most convenient consists of the pulleys m and a, which arerespectively secured to the shaft H and to one of the journals of theunder roll K and are connected byaquarterturn belt 0. By thisarrangement the under roll is positively rotated and communicates therequired rotation tothe upper roll by the friction between them.

In order to insure of the proper friction proper size to afford therequired pressure.

With the rolls rotated and held in contact, as above explained, thesheets of paper or other material successively fed forward over thetable D by the upwardly and downwardly moving bars C and C and forcedinto their bite will be carried through between them and delivered uponthe moving tapes M of the machine, arranged in front to be carriedforward by these tapes and successively acted upon by the operatingmechanism appropriate to that machine. The machine thus arranged infront of these delivery-rolls Kand L may be a rulingmachine, aprinting-press, a package-wrapping machine, or other appropriatemechanism. The portion of the machine depicted in the drawings, however,as disposed in that relationship is of an ordinary paper-ruling machineand while forming no part of my present invention is shown in thedrawings merely for the purpose of illustration.

In the above description I have referred to the opposite ends of themachine and of certain of its parts as being the rear'end and the frontend. Wherever, therefore, these terms appear herein it is to beunderstood that by rear end is meant the end where the paper or othermaterial is supplied to the machine and as shown at the left in Figs. 1and 2 and that by front end is meant the end where the delivery of thesuccessive sheets to the ruling or other machine is effected, as shownat the right in those figures.

As thus set forth it will be seen that I produce a paper-feeding machinewhich while simple in construction and not liable to a disarrangement ofits parts accomplishes the efficient feeding of the sheets of paper orother material upon which it may be called to operate successivelyforward one after another in consecutive sequence, as Well as thedelivery of the same to a ruling or other machine in that order, withoutthe employment of rolls or other devices that move or travel along theirsurfaces, While at the same time avoiding the necessity of employing anupwardly-extending vertical wall or abutment at the front of the pile ormass, and thereby allowing of the feeding of the thinnest and mostsleazy sheets of the material forward and delivery to the ruling orother machine; While the form of mechanism above describedis the one Iprefer to employ in practice, it is to be distinctly understood that Ido not restrict myself thereto, as it is obvious that modification ofthe same may be made and still be within the scope of my invention.

Having described my invention and specified certain of the ways in whichit is or may be carried into effect, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States 1. The combination, with thesupporting and feeding bars of a feeding-machine divided into aplurality of groups, of mechanism for imparting an up-and-down movementto said bars progressively from one end of the row to the other andinclining the movement of the'bars of the alternative groups in oppositedirections, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the supporting and feeding bars of afeeding-machine comprising a front and a rear group, of which the barsof the former group are morenumerous than those of the latter group, andan upwardly-extending vertical Wall or abutment arranged in rear of therear group, of mechanism for imparting an up-and-down forwardlyinclinedmovement to the bars of the rear group and an up and down rearwardlyinclined movement to the bars of the front group, progressively from theextreme end of one group to the opposite extreme end of the other,substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the supporting and feeding bars of afeeding-machine comprising a front and a rear group, of which the barsof the former group are more numerous than those of the latter group,anupwardly-extendingvertical wall or abutment, and deliveryrolls, ofmechanism for rotating such rolls and imparting an up-and-downforwardly-inclined movement to the bars of the rear group and anup-and-down backwardly-inclined movement to the bars of the front group,progressively from the rear of the rear group to the front of the frontgroup, substantially as described. 4. v The combination, with the mainframe of a paper-feeding machine, and a series of supporting and feedingbars arranged side by side and adapted to move up and down independentlyof one another in-' said main frame, of cams by which these supportingand feeding bars are operated,'and shoes interposed between these barsand their respective cams, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the supporting and feeding bars of afeeding-machine, and the cams by which they are operated, of shoespivoted to such bars and engaging with said cams, whereby the operationof the bars is elfected from the cams through said shoes, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 3d day of April,1903.

. CHARLES B. MAXSON. Witnesses:

GEO. H. UTTER, J OHN Hrsoox.

